States › Arkansas › Malvern

Is Malvern, AR expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 20 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$81554% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$49,881about $4,157/month · 43% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$104,50069% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $32,600 a year. That is $16 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Arkansas cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Arkansas. It is number 17 of 71 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Malvern
$815
Magnolia
$678
Lowell
$2,165
Batesville
$928
Camden
$1,109
Arkadelphia
$714
Greenwood
$1,374

How much do households earn in Malvern?

Under $25k
20.9%
$25k–50k
32.8%
$50k–100k
30.5%
$100k–150k
7.0%
$150k+
0.1%

Share of households by yearly income. 7.1% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Malvern

SizeMalvernU.S. average
Studio$485$1,338
1 bedroom$660$1,324
2 bedrooms$815$1,509
3 bedrooms$984$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Malvern overall?

Everyday prices in Arkansas overall are 13% below the U.S. average (index 86.9, U.S. = 100).

Housing
58
Goods (food, clothes…)
94
Utilities
75
Other services
95
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Malvern, so the Arkansas figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Malvern

🏛️ Property tax$541a year · 0.52% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$136a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Malvern

Commute to work21.6 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree12.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home50.2%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line20.2%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.6%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Malvern?

Buying is cheaper month to month: about $90 a month less than renting.

Renting
$815
Owning
$725

Owning assumes a typical $104,500 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $10,450 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Malvern, AR?

Renting in Malvern costs a median of about $815 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Arkansas median is $1,068.

How much do I need to make to live in Malvern?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $32,600 a year, or $16 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Malvern cheap or expensive?

Malvern is rated Cheap: rent takes 19.6% of the typical household income of $49,881. It ranks 17th cheapest of 71 Arkansas cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Malvern?

The median homeowner in Malvern pays $541 a year in property taxes, about 0.52% of the median home value.

Is Malvern more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Arkansas are 13% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Malvern?

The median home value in Malvern is $104,500, about 2.1 times the typical yearly household income.

10,953 people live in Malvern. Numbers are typical (middle) values.